Method and apparatus for the manufacture of railway signal-torpedoes.



A. S. & H. A. PATTISON.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF RAILWAY SIGNAL TORPEDOES. APPLICATION HLED DEC. 10. 19l5.

1,282,624. Patented Oct. 22, 1918.

2 SHEETS-*SHEEI l. I 2 I A. S. & H. A. PATTISON. METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF RAILWAY SIGNAL TORPEDOES.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. [0. I915.

Patented Oct. 22, 1918.

2 SHEETSSHEEI 2.

UN TED @TATE% PATEN i I E A EN's. r 'r'rIsoiv Ann HU EnT A. rAT'rIsoN, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT or COLUMBIA, AssIeNoRs 'ro oEN'rE L RAILWAY SIGNHAL COMPANY, or PITTS- BURGH, PENNSYLVAHIA, A CORPORATION or NEW JERSEY.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFAG'IURE OF RAILWAY SIGNAL-TOBPEDQES.

T 0 all whom. it may concern:

Be it known that we, AL S. P 'r'rIsoN A further object of this invention is to manufacture railway signal torpedoes from a continuous strip of paper, fabric or other suitable flexible material in which is formed cavities to receive the explosive compound and to inclose this compound by a second continuous strip, the method being continuous in its operation from the strips to the finished torpedo.

A further object of this invention is to manufacture railway signal torpedoes by simultaneously feeding a continuous main or carrier strip of suitable material; forming therein explosive receiving recesses; filling the said recesses with an explosive and feeding a continuous bottom strip and cementing it to the continuous carrier strip to form a bottom for and inclosing the said explosive, whereby a completed railway signal torpedo is made by a continuous operation.

A further object of this invention is to manufacture railway signal torpedoes by simultaneously feeding a main or carrier strip of suitable flexible material; forming therein explosive receiving recesses; filling the recesses with explosive; feeding a continuous explosive inclosing containing strip and cementing it to a carrier strip; feeding the rail-engaging straps on top of the explosive inclosing strap and feeding a continuous bottom strip over the rail-engaging Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 22, 1918.

Application tiled December 10, 1915. Serial No. 66,114.

straps and cementing it to the said supplementary strip, whereby a completed railway signal torpedo is made by a continuous operation.

A further object of this invent-ion is to provide an apparatus for the manufacture of railway signal" torpedoes whereby the explosive containing case is manufactured from a continuous strip or strips of paper or other suitable flexible material so arranged that the explosive is placed within the case in the process of its manufacture, and whereby, if desired, a rail-engaging strap can also be attached to the torpedo by feeding a second continuous strip which will also form the bottom wall of the case. as well as unite the strap thereto.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of an apparatus which is illustrative of one manner of carrying out the method of, and is the preferred generic form of apparatus which is'also the subject-matter of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the said apparatus.

Fig. 3 is a detached perspective view showing that part of the apparatus which accomplishes an intermittent feed and showing the dies or molds which form the carrier chain and in which the explosive carrying strip is shaped.

Fig. 4. is an enlarged detached perspective view of the roller, which is a combined feeding and strip pressing roller.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the lower end of the knife that serves to cut the strip into the separate torpedoes.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view of one form of explosive that may be used.

Fig. 7 is a detached perspective view showing one formof torpedo that may be made by this process and apparatus.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of another form of torpedo that may be made by this method and apparatus.

Fig. 9 is a transverse sectional view of one form of torpedo manufactured by our ma- China.

2 and 3. thereon a six sided elongated block 4. y A

chain of female dies or molds, 5 passes around these elongated'blocks'and their bottoms to slide or travel over the table 1.. Each of these dies 5 is provided with a recess 6, and at its oppositeedges is also provided with suitable pins or shoulders 7. As shown, these dies are preferably hinged at or approximate their lower edges, as shown at 8, so that the chain of dies will pass'around the six-sided elongated blocks 4c, and the sides of the blocks at are equal in width to the length of the dies, and in that way theblocks act like a sprocket wheel to cause the chain of dies to travel wheneither one of the shafts 2 or 3 is caused to rotate.

Located at the receiving end of th table 1., .is a roll of paper 9, which is of a width equal to the width of the torpedo to be made. Supported by a suitablebracket 10 is a reciprocating male die 11, adapted to cooperate with the dies constituting the chain to form explosive receiving recesses 12. inthe strip of paper as it is being fed through I the machine. Preferably, there is provided a moistenlng brush 13, of any suitable construction for slightly moistening the strip of paper sothatthe recesses can be more readily formed therein by the said dies. A

. suitable spring depressed footpiece .14! is carried by the die 11 for the purpose of clamping the paper aroundthe recess 6 in advance of the engagement of the paper by the male die 11, thus preventing the paper from being drawn by the action. of the dies 7' except where the recess isformed; o

The chain of dies of the construction here shown is intermittently moved. When in the position shown in Fig.1, the chain is quiet and at this moment the male die 11 is depressed, thus forming in the paper strip.

After this recess is formed and the die 11 is withdrawn, then the chain is moved a distance the explosive receiving recess 12.

just equal to thesize of the dies and brings the next succeeding female die 5 in position under the male die 11.

lhis intermittent movement is accomplished as follows:

At the receivingend of the table there is located a shaft 15, which carries a segmental roll'16of suitable yielding material and this is located directly over the elongated six- .sided block at the receiving end of the machine. The shaft 15 is continuously rotated by means of a sprocket wheel 17, and a sprocket chain 18, the latter passing'around a sprocket wheel 19 on a continuously driven driving shaft 20. The said shaft 2 which carried the elongated six-sided block 4, is.

provided with a gear wheel 21 and the adjacent end of the shaft 15 is provided with a segmental gear 22. This segmental gear 22 has suflicient' gear teeth to rotate the shaft '2 a distance equal to the length of the dies 5, so that at each revolution of the shaft 15, the shaft 2, with its elongated block at, is rotated just farenough to carry the female molds 5 in succession under the male die 11, for the purpose already stated. lVhenlthe smooth or the gearless portionof the wheel .22 is over the gear 21, the chain of dies is quiet and at this moment the male die is forced downward thus forming the recess in the continuous strip 9. 2 An eccentric 24 is carried by the shaft 20, and this eccentric forces the male die 11 downward when the chain of dies is quiet through the medium of an eccentric strap 25, which has its lower end connected with the upper end of the male die stem 26. j While we have here shown the recess 6 round, for making a torpedo 27 of the form shown in Fig. 7, we desire it to be understood that the recess may be of other contours. For instance, it may be made of oval or elongated shape for the purpose of fern ing a torpedo, such as 28 in Fig. .8.

After the explosive receiving recesses are formed in the strip 9, they explosive is placed within these recesses. Preferably the explosive is of the well-known plastic type and will preferably be held on a suitable shelf or tray 29 from which'the operator will take the tablet and place it in the recess.

1 After this is done and as the chain of dies and explosive containing strip is meted along, a secondstrip of paper, or othe suit, able material of the same width, is cemented overthe explosive, thuscompleting the terpedo case and forming a bottom therefor. When the torpedo is formed of only two walls, viz., themain or carrier iwall, their it is necessary to attach the rail-engaging strap or member 30130 the torpedo after it is completed in any well-known or desirable manner. When the torpedo is completed without the rail-engaging member or Stltlijy a second roll of paper or suitable material 31 issupported on the bracket 1.0, and. the under side of this strip Wlll engage the pevriphery of a roll 32 that is caused to dip into a suitable cement (IlQtSllOlYIl) located within a receptacle 38, and thus apply 00- ment to the under side of the strip 31. This strip 31 passes under a spring pressed roll 34 of suitable yielding material and pressed down in contact with and cemented member of the case or bottom;

strlp is applied, then the rail-engaging to the-carrier'strip, thus completing the teroedo. This roll 34, as here shown, is driven y a sprocket chain that passes around a sprocket 36 on the shaft of said roll and a sprocket wheel 37 which is carried on the end of the shaft 3. After the torpedo case is thus formed, the strip is severed between the explosive receiving recess by a suitable knife 38, and this knife is reciprocatcd by an eccentric 3 9 and an eccentric strap 40in unison with the reciprocation of the male die, so that the knife moves down when the chain of dies and the strip of torpedoes are 'not moving, and the torpedoes are severed,

as shownat 41 and will. fall into any suitable receptacle 4:2.

Ourinvention, however, contemplates not only the completion of the torpedo without the railengaging strap, but also contenr plates the simultaneous attaching of the rail-engaging strap that when the torpedo falls from the machine, it is a completed article. This is accomplished by providing an additional strip 43 of paper or suitable material (shown in dotted lines) and t-hiswill be applied to the carrier strip 9 over the explosive and completes the case. in this instance, 43 will form the closing After this straps 30 are applied on top of the strip 43 by placing them between the pins or shoulders 7 of the. female dies, then afterward the strip 31 is cemented in position over the rail-engaging strap 30 and serves to unite the rail-engaging strap to the torpedo and further serves as an auxiliary bottom .for the torpedo.

This strip 43 is provided with suitable cement at 1ts under SlClGlll the same manner as described in respect to the strip 31 and as indicated in dotted lines at 44, and will also be pressed in position by a spring depressed roll like 34, which is diagrammatically shown in dotted lines at 4:5

The primary object of having a wall between the explosive and the rail-engaging strap 'is to prevent the metal strap from coming into direct contact with the explosive. and our invention contemplates the accomplishment of this result without the use of two strips as just described, by cementing is done away withwhen the three strips are used as described herein.

\Ve wish also to have it understood that instead of cementing the disk to the tablet, as shown in Fig. 6, the disk could be separate from the tablet and the tablet and disk placed in the recess and then the strap ver them and then the strip 31 cemented in position. However, this would require more care in the placing of the disk in position and the disk would be liable todisplacement in the succeeding operation of placing the strap thereon and cementing the strip 31.

lVhile we have here shown a strip wide enough for one explosive receiving recess, we desire it to be imderstoodtha-t the chain of dies could be sufliciently wide to have two or more recesses formed therein to form two or more torpedoes in a line with each other and the strip of paper to be made sufiiciently wide for that purpose, the torpedoes then being severed longitudinally as well as transversely by means that would be readily conceivedby any one skilled in the art and without departing from the spirit and scope of our invention. The apparatus here shown is intended as only one mechanical expression for carrying out the method herein involved.

e desire it to be also understood that the apparatus here shown is a single mechanical expression of the inventive idea of simultaneously forming from a continuous strip or strips of paper a torpedo case; placing therein the explosive and forming the bottom inclosing member of the case from also a continuous strip.

We desire it to be understood that variations may be made in our method and apparatus which will still be within the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention. what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The method of manufacturing railway signal torpedoes, consisting in providing and feeding a continuous carrier strip and forming therein explosive receiving recesses. placing the explosive within the recesses. placing a strap separating wall over the explosives. placing straps over the said wall and feeding and cementing a continuous bottom strip over the said straps. whereby a continuous manufacture of the torpedoes accomplished.

2-. The method of manufacturing railway signal torpedoes. consisting in providing and feeding a continuous strip of fibrous material. forming therein explosive receiving recesses. placing an explosive in the recesses, feeding and cementing thereover a continuous flexible strip, placing over the strip a rail-engaging strap and feeding and cementing a continuous strip for holding the straps forming a bottom, whereby a die and the means for applying the second stripto the first strip.

4. An apparatus for the manufacture of railway signal torpedoes, comprising a mold supporting table, a plurality of movable female dies moving over the said table, means for supporting and feeding a flexible strip over and along with the said female dies, a male die cooperating with the female dies to form recesses in the said strip, and means for feeding and cementing a second strip to the first said strip to complete the case, and explosive and rail strap supports located between the male I die and the point where the second continuous strip is applied to the first strip, whereby the second strip serves to hold .the explosive and the rail-engaging straps to the torpedoes.

5. An apparatus for the manufacture of railway signal torpedoes, comprising a mold supporting table, a plurality of female dies I a movable together over and supported by the table, means supporting and feeding a flexible strip over and along with the female dies, a male die cooperating with the female dies to form explosive receiving recesses in the said strip, means for ap lying successively at separated points two continuous strips over the first said strip, an explosive support located between-the maledie and the first'of the second strips, anda railengaging support located between the said second strips forthe purpose described.

' 6. An apparatus for'the manufacture of railway signal torpedoes, comprising a'mold supporting table, a plurality of female dies movable together over and supported by the table, means for supporting and feeding a strip of flexible material over and along with the female dies, a male die co6perating with the female dies to form explosive receiving recesses, and means for applying two strips at separated points overthe first said strip, an explosive charging point between the male die and the two last said strips, and a strip rail-engaging strap charging point located betweenthe two points of applying the two last mentioned strips, the parts combined for the purpose described.

7. An apparatus for the manufacture of railway signal torpedoes, comprising a'mold supportingtable, a plurality of female dies hinged together and forming a continuous hain. rollers at the ends of thetable around which the said chain of dies passes, means for intermittently moving the chain a distance equal to the width of the said dies,

means for feeding a flexible strip over and along with the said dies, a male die coeperatingsuccessively with the femaledies while they are quiet to form explosive receiving recesses, and meansfor feeding and cementing a strip to the first said strip thereby completing the torpedo cases in a continu-.

ous strip.

8. An apparatus for the manufacture of railway signaltorpedoes, comprising a. 1u-

rality of female dies hinged together in a continuous chain, means for intermittently moving'the said chain a distance equal to the width of the respective dies,means for supporting and intermittently feeding a flexible strip upon and along'with the said dies, a reciprocating male die coijperating with the said female dies to' form explosive receiving recesses in the'said strip, means for feeding a second or bottom strip and cementing it to the .first said strip, and

means for reciprocating the male die while' the chain of dies is quiet, the parts combined for the purpose described.

9.. An apparatus for the manufacture of railway signal torpedoes, comprising means,

feeding a strip of flexible material, recess forming means which form explosive receiving recesses in the flexible strip, means feed mg and cementing a second flexible strip over the explosives in said recesses, and

means feeding and cementing a third flexible strip on the second strip for holding a rail engaging strap between thetwo last mentioned flexible strips.

10. The method of manufacturing rail- 7 way signal torpedoes, consisting in providing and feeding a continuous container strip in an approximately horizontal position and forming therein explosive receiving recesses,

placing the, explosive within the recesses,

placing strap separating wall over the explosive, placing straps over said wall and feeding and cementing a continuous bottom strip over said straps, whereby a continuous manufacture of the torpedoes is accom-- plished.

11. An apparatus for the manufacture of railway signal torpedoes, comprising a plurality of female dies, approximately horizontally movable, means for supporting and feeding a flexible strip of material over and along with the dies, a male die coeperating with the female dies to form explosive re ceiving recesses in the flexiblestrip, for feeding and cementing a second strip to the first strip at a point removed from the male die to allow the explosive compound to be placed in the recesses, and a third strip cemented to the second strip at a point considerably removed from the point of cementing of the first and second strips whereby the rail attaching strap can be placed between the second and third strips.

In testimony whereof We hereunto afiix our signatures in the presence of two Witnesses. 10

ALLEN S. PATTISON. HUBERT A. PATTISON.

Witnesses:

J. K. Moon, 0. R. WRIGHT, Jr.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

